son?" said Miss White, haughtily, turning
to the smart little stateroom beyond the companion.

"That iss your cabin, mem, if you please, mem," said Christina, who had
been instructed in English politeness by her husband.

"Well, now, can you understand this? Go to Sir Keith Macleod, and tell
him that I have shut myself up in that cabin; and that I will speak not
a word to any one; and I will neither eat nor drink until I am taken on
shore. And so, if he wishes to have a murder on his hands, very well! Do
you understand that?"

"I will say that to Sir Keith," Christina answered, submissively.

Miss White walked into the cabin and locked herself in. It was an
apartment with which she was familiar; but where had they got the white
heather? And there were books; but she paid little heed. They would
discover they had not broken her spirit yet.

On either side the skylight overhead was open an inch; and it was
nearer to the tiller than the skylight of the saloon. In the absolute
stillness of this summer day she heard two men talking. Generally they
spoke in the Gaelic, which was of course unintelligible to her; but
sometimes they wandered into English--especially if the name of some
English town cropped up--and thus she got hints as to the whereabouts of
the _Umpire_.

"Oh yes, it is a fine big town that town of Gravesend, to be sure,
Hamish," said the one voice, "and I have no doubt, now, that it will be
sending a gentleman to the Houses of Parliament in London, just as
Greenock will do. But there is no one you will send from Mull. They do
not know much about Mull in the Houses of Parliament."

"And they know plenty about ferry much worse places," said Hamish,
proudly. "And wass you saying there will be anything so beautiful about
Greenock ass you will find at Tobbermorry?"

"Tobermory!" said the other; "There are some trees at Tobermory--oh yes;
and the Mish-nish and the shops--"

"Yess, and the waterfahl--do not forget the waterfahl, Colin; and there
iss better whiskey in Tobbermorry ass you will get in all Greenock,
where they will be for mixing it with prandy and other drinks like that;
and at Tobbermorry you will hef a Professor come all the way from
Edinburgh and from Oban to gif a lecture on the Gaelic; but do you think
he would gif a lecture in a town like Greenock? Oh no; he would not do
that!"

"Very well, Hamish; but it is glad I am that we are going back the way
we came."

"And me, too, Colin."

"